Is Aloe Juice Harmful?

Juice from the aloe plant can be harmful.

Some people drink aloe juice in an attempt to treat health conditions, such as constipation or diabetes. However, doing so can be potentially harmful, especially if you choose a juice that contains aloe latex or if you are taking certain medications. Check with your doctor before drinking aloe juice to make sure it is safe for you.

Potential Side Effects

Aloe latex can cause severe diarrhea and intestinal cramping and may cause pregnant women to miscarry. Ingesting large amounts of aloe latex over an extended time can lead to heart disturbances, kidney problems, muscle weakness and low potassium. Children shouldn't consume aloe at all, notes MedlinePlus, as it can cause them to experience cramps, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Aloe latex can also irritate the bowels, exacerbating hemorrhoids and intestinal problems such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Taking aloe by mouth may also increase your risk for cancer, and a few people who took aloe by mouth for more than a few weeks reportedly developed hepatitis, according to the American Cancer Society.

Potential Interactions

Aloe may interact with diabetes medications, diuretics and the heart medication digoxin, causing potentially severe adverse effects. It may also have a blood-thinning effect, so don't consume any type of aloe if you take blood-thinners because this could increase the risk of bleeding. Aloe juice that contains latex acts as a laxative and could decrease the amount of any oral medication absorbed by your body.

Type of Aloe Juice

Avoid any type of aloe juice made from the whole leaf and not just the gel, because these juices may contain the potentially dangerous aloe latex. However, some juices are now decolorized and treated to remove the latex. These may cause fewer adverse effects. An animal study published in the "Journal of Toxicology" in 2013 found that aloe juice treated in this manner decreased the risk of adverse effects compared to untreated aloe juice. A similar study published in "Food and Chemical Toxicology" in July 2013 also found that purified, decolorized whole leaf aloe juice didn't cause adverse effects like those sometimes experienced with untreated juice. However, these were animal studies so more research is necessary to verify these effects in people.

Amount of Aloe

Don't go overboard and drink several glasses of aloe juice per day. The typical dose for relieving constipation is 100 to 200 grams of aloe, which is about one-half to three-quarter cup, according to MedlinePlus. Drinking too much aloe juice may be dangerous if it contains aloe latex, as getting 1 gram of aloe latex per day for a few days can cause death, and you may not be able to tell how much aloe latex, if any, is in the juice you're drinking.